Dec 03 2019 30 mins 1
Off the Clock: Feel Less Busy While Getting More Done by Laura Vanderkam
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I’ve been obsessively telling everyone about this quick read. If you, like me, feel a bit “at war” with time, feeling there’s “never enough” and you “don’t have time to relax,” then you’ll benefit from Vanderkam’s wisdom, too. The book, true to its title, offers realistic ways to both feel less busy and get more done. More importantly, Vanderkam reminds us to focus on making the most of the moments and time we do have and always remember that "people are a good use of time."
I have a vivid memory from ten years ago of my youngest child, then age four, asking me, "Mommy, are we in a rush?"
I stopped in my tracks and realized that, yes, in fact, we were in a rush. We seemed to always be in a rush to get somewhere, get one more thing done, or just get out the door. He knew that, because he was always with me and was learning about how life worked from me. I was not being a good role model in how I viewed and used my time.
I didn't want to always be in a rush, and I certainly didn't want my sweet boy thinking that life is always just a rush from one thing to the next.
In the past decade, I have not fulfilled my goal of stopping to watch the sunset every single night, but I have learned to savor moments a bit more, slow down once in a while, and listen well (sometimes) to my people as they share their stories.
I have had far more coffee and walk dates with friends, read more books, and gone to bed earlier. I even slowed down enough to write the book I've always dreamed of writing.
There is, in fact, enough time to do the things we want to do. We just need to learn to prioritize the things that are most important and make time for those things first rather than hoping we'll miraculously end up with time for them once our "to do" list is done. Off the Clock offers tips for making the most of the time we have.
Watch Vanderkam's TED Talk, "How to gain control of your free time":
Visit Vanderkam's Website (I've subscribed to her email list and am going to try out her time log!)
